WATCH: PBA Face-off Ginebra vs Rain or Shine | Bounce Back Challenge
The PBA Commissioner’s Cup match between Brgy. Ginebra and Rain or Shine at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday, November 24, was a hard-fought battle. Despite a strong performance by Andrei Caracut and the Elasto Painters, the Gin Kings managed to secure a well-deserved 107-102 victory.
Tony Bishop led the scoring for the crowd darlings with 25 points to go with 12 rebounds. However, it was Maverick Ahanmisi who truly stood out for the Gin Kings, nearly achieving a triple-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists.
Caracut had an exceptional night for Rain or Shine, scoring a game-high 32 points on an impressive 11-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. This performance surpassed his previous career-high of 25 points, which he achieved earlier this year against the Terrafirma Dyip.
Despite trailing by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, Brgy. Ginebra turned the tide of the game with a remarkable 19-2 run to end the first half. This gave them a 49-44 lead heading into the halftime break.
In the third period, the Gin Kings established their largest lead of 13 points, 65-52. However, the Elasto Painters made a strong comeback and took the upper hand at 89-88, thanks to Gian Mamuyac’s three-pointer halfway into the fourth quarter.
The game became a closely contested battle for the next few minutes. With the Gin Kings padding their lead to six points at 100-94 with 1:49 remaining, Caracut and Leonard Santillan scored five consecutive points to bring Rain or Shine within just one point at 100-99. In response, the Gin Kings launched a 5-0 counterattack, giving them a two-possession advantage at 105-99.
Caracut then hit another clutch three-pointer with 24 seconds left, giving the Elasto Painters a glimmer of hope. Rain or Shine had an opportunity to tie the game or reduce the deficit to a single point after Dajuan Summers forced a turnover, but Gabe Norwood made a mental error by passing up an open layup for a pull-up jumper, which he missed. Norwood’s blunder allowed Christian Standhardinger to score an easy layup, sealing the final score at 107-102.
Standhardinger and Scottie Thompson both finished with double-doubles, with the Fil-German contributing 19 points and 11 rebounds and the former MVP chipping in 12 points and 10 boards in addition to 8 assists. Additionally, Jamie Malonzo contributed 11 points in his season debut for the Gin Kings.
